Your controversial opinions/thoughts on music

[MirrorMask]

I have quite limited knowledge of Judas Priest, but I have pretty much liked every Ripper Owens era songs I've heard. I never was interested in them when I was teenager, because Breaking the Law was pretty much the only song by them I knew (I thought it was lame then and I still think so, it sounds more like they put a piece of chewed up gum on their teacher's chair instead of doing something criminal) and I straight up dismissed them. Now I know they have songs that are much better, but I still feel the Owens era is unfairly judged.

I feel the Ripper era has some parallels with the Load / ReLoad albums, and the two albums Blaze Bayley made with Iron Maiden. In all three cases, the first record was a shock, and people loathed it, but even if not perfect, they were actually kinda good in retrospect. The second yeah, it actually sucked. 

[WildRanger]

Ghost Reveries is by far the best Opeth album tbh

Ghost Reveries is by far the most OVERRATED Opeth album tbh.

[WildRanger]

Randy Rhoads is OVER-LOVED. I just don't get such a huge, blind love, hype and worship for this guy and his guitar playing. I know he unfortunately died young and it was loss for rock, but anyway I don't get it, although he was undoubtedly a very talented player.

[The Walrus]

Randy Rhoads is OVER-LOVED. I just don't get such a huge, blind love, hype and worship for this guy and his guitar playing. I know he unfortunately died young and it was loss for rock, but anyway I don't get it, although he was undoubtedly a very talented player.

Kinda feel the same honestly. Good guitarist, wasn't around long... played for Quiet Riot... and Ozzy. Meh.

[TAC]

Randy Rhoads is OVER-LOVED. I just don't get such a huge, blind love, hype and worship for this guy and his guitar playing. I know he unfortunately died young and it was loss for rock, but anyway I don't get it, although he was undoubtedly a very talented player.

Kinda feel the same honestly. Good guitarist, wasn't around long... played for Quiet Riot... and Ozzy. Meh.

The thing is, even as it was happening, and shortly after his death, he was being recognized as one of the great young guitarists. His playing was inspiring...in real time.

Sure, as a musician that died young, his legend grows... But for those of us that were around as it was happening, it's important to keep his influence and memory alive.

The other thing is that by all accounts, he was a very nice kid. I think that plays into it.

[Stadler]

Randy Rhoads is OVER-LOVED. I just don't get such a huge, blind love, hype and worship for this guy and his guitar playing. I know he unfortunately died young and it was loss for rock, but anyway I don't get it, although he was undoubtedly a very talented player.

Kinda feel the same honestly. Good guitarist, wasn't around long... played for Quiet Riot... and Ozzy. Meh.

The thing is, even as it was happening, and shortly after his death, he was being recognized as one of the great young guitarists. His playing was inspiring...in real time.

Sure, as a musician that died young, his legend grows... But for those of us that were around as it was happening, it's important to keep his influence and memory alive.

The other thing is that by all accounts, he was a very nice kid. I think that plays into it.

Boom.  This.

It's hard to unlisten to everything you've heard since (including the 1,000's of Eddie/Randy clones that hit in the 80's), but I have about four or five (no more) "WHOA!" moments from listening to music, and one of them was listening to Blizzard Of Ozz.  I make no apologies for flying the Randy flag.   

[The Walrus]

I mean, I kinda get that. I hear it about Jimi Hendrix all the time. But I think Hendrix is legitimately badass. Rhoads... okay, a few good solos. Couple nice riffs. But... yeah. Just don't get it. Too much hype in my opinion, 30 years gone by, I just don't think he's in the pantheon anymore. Of course, you guys would know better than me (I haven't listened to everything he's done).

[KevShmev]

I mean, I kinda get that. I hear it about Jimi Hendrix all the time. But I think Hendrix is legitimately badass. Rhoads... okay, a few good solos. Couple nice riffs. But... yeah. Just don't get it. Too much hype in my opinion, 30 years gone by, I just don't think he's in the pantheon anymore. Of course, you guys would know better than me (I haven't listened to everything he's done).

The "you had to be there" crowd will always elevate Rhoads higher than those of us who weren't there.  Don't get me wrong, Rhoads' work on both of those Ozzy albums was terrific, and I am a big fan of both of those records, but he is not even close to being one of my favorite players.  Too many other great ones out there.

[Trav86]

My opinion on Rhaods is that his playing and songwriting are great, but honestly, I think his tone sucked.

[Stadler]

I mean, I kinda get that. I hear it about Jimi Hendrix all the time. But I think Hendrix is legitimately badass. Rhoads... okay, a few good solos. Couple nice riffs. But... yeah. Just don't get it. Too much hype in my opinion, 30 years gone by, I just don't think he's in the pantheon anymore. Of course, you guys would know better than me (I haven't listened to everything he's done).

The "you had to be there" crowd will always elevate Rhoads higher than those of us who weren't there.  Don't get me wrong, Rhoads' work on both of those Ozzy albums was terrific, and I am a big fan of both of those records, but he is not even close to being one of my favorite players.  Too many other great ones out there.

First, not comparing Rhoads and Hendrix.  Hendrix is, in my view, the second most influential figure in rock and roll (behind the Beatles; I suppose you could argue Elvis was up there too).   Listen now to those first three Hendrix records, and every two minutes it's "Oh, so THAT'S where so-and-so got that from!".   He influenced everyone, including the greats (Blackmore, Van Halen). 

Second, what Kev wrote doesn't have to be mutually exclusive.  I DO rate Rhoads pretty highly, but I also recognize that he has four albums, two of them average at best, one one that, in my view, is legendary.  His was a promise as much as anything.  I often cite "Tonight" as his greatest moment, and it's largely symbolic, since the essence of that song is the epic solo at the end that is (tragically) faded before it finishes.  He IS one of my favorite players, but I'm able to recognize that something like Blackmore's catalogue (for sheer variance) or Gilmour's is probably overall a greater accomplishment.

[MoraWintersoul]

The older I get, the more I am tuned into what I really like and what I... adjacent-like. Idk how to explain it? I semi-like it? I listen to it because sometimes it has some of the characteristics of what I really, REALLY like? I used to listen to music because it was good - well made, original, competently produced and well performed. But there's so many objectively great albums that I don't feel drawn to more than some mid 2000's pop rock gothy junk.

Second opinion: there's so many artists whose fans believe all of their catalog is more or less on the same level of quality, but it isn't and perpetuating that belief only keeps people from getting into the artist. Devin Townsend, for instance. You have to invest like a month of your time to start getting into Devy, and fans will say that if you like heavy music, and melodic music, and cooky music, and poppy music, there's something to be had on each of his albums, and none are considered so much better than others (besides Ocean Machine and Terria). And they are right, and those albums are objectively good, the vast majority of them. But my god, you need a flowchart for all of that. And most of us will only find four or five albums that really, really resonate with us in the pile. Same with Steven Wilson.

[Stadler]

That's funny you wrote that first paragraph.  I'm a musical whore, in that I tend to like a little bit of everything - AC/DC to Zappa, with some Taylor Swift and Harry Styles thrown in for good measure.    But in recent months I've sort of resolved myself to the idea that I don't like things that I either should or that I used to.   Most of the Seattle bands (except for Soundgarden and Mother Love Bone) fall into this.  I got a copy of the newest Pearl Jam for like $1.00 on line and I was listening and I'm like "wow this is vintage Pearl Jam... but it's doing absolutely nothing for me."

[King Postwhore]

Taste change over the years for all except for Tim.

[Stadler]

Taste change over the years for all except for Tim.

Hahaha.

And yet, sometimes they don't.  I say this to you because you'll get it, not because I want to argue with you:  I put on Fly By Night out of the blue this weekend on my home system, and I was blown away by how good that record is for a young band barely above water and with a brand new drummer.   It's almost a perfect record, really. 

[King Postwhore]

Even with bands I love, albums I used to play never get touched anymore.  Rush is a good example.  I never reach for the self titled or COS.  I love Rush, I just don't play them anymore.  Now FBN, I do spin once in a while.

[KevShmev]

Even with bands I love, albums I used to play never get touched anymore.  Rush is a good example.  I never reach for the self titled or COS.  I love Rush, I just don't play them anymore.  Now FBN, I do spin once in a while.

I call albums like that "retired favorites." 

[Trav86]

I think Zappa and Devin Townsend are overrated. And I think the Coverdale/Hughes Deep Purple lineup was better than Gillan/Glover.

[King Postwhore]

Even with bands I love, albums I used to play never get touched anymore.  Rush is a good example.  I never reach for the self titled or COS.  I love Rush, I just don't play them anymore.  Now FBN, I do spin once in a while.

I call albums like that "retired favorites."

As great as Led Zep IV is.  I just can't listen to it anymore.  I played it too damn much. That is definitely a retired favorite.

[MirrorMask]

Even with bands I love, albums I used to play never get touched anymore.  Rush is a good example.  I never reach for the self titled or COS.  I love Rush, I just don't play them anymore.  Now FBN, I do spin once in a while.

I call albums like that "retired favorites."

Well, there's only so much time to listen over and over the same song.

The quantity of music avalaible is ever growing, be it new albums from bands you know, and new bands you discover, and the time to listen to said music is always decreasing, or at the very best not increasing. There must be a time when an album falls out of your daily playlist, then weekly, and then monthly.

I will always call Iron Maiden my favorite band, but I don't feel the need to listen to The Trooper for thr 57595474373th time. Scenes from a Memory is my favorite record of all time, I can't even remember the last time I heard it. Wait, I suddenly remembered, I put it on while I was dozing off once some months ago, the time before that.... hell if I know.

[KevShmev]

As great as Led Zep IV is.  I just can't listen to it anymore.  I played it too damn much. That is definitely a retired favorite.

That is me with The Wall. I spun it a few months ago, first time I had listened to it from start to finish in years, and was reminded of how amazing it is and why it still might be my personal number 1 album ever, but it is definitely a retired favorite that I will reach for once a leap year (although certain tracks I reach for when doing the random play thing, like Mother).

Well, there's only so much time to listen over and over the same song.

The quantity of music avalaible is ever growing, be it new albums from bands you know, and new bands you discover, and the time to listen to said music is always decreasing, or at the very best not increasing. There must be a time when an album falls out of your daily playlist, then weekly, and then monthly.

I will always call Iron Maiden my favorite band, but I don't feel the need to listen to The Trooper for thr 57595474373th time. Scenes from a Memory is my favorite record of all time, I can't even remember the last time I heard it. Wait, I suddenly remembered, I put it on while I was dozing off once some months ago, the time before that.... hell if I know.

This is a big part of it as well.  My album collection is so massive now, and I simply don't have the time to listen to most of it nearly as much as I want to. 

[Stadler]

THat's a real thing, though.   Back in the day, you'd save your money for an album, and then finally get it, and unless it sucked balls for lunch, you would listen to it, and play it, and put in the time.   Now, even with really good albums - the new Slash, the new Rival Sons - I just can't/won't put in the same amount of time. 

There are albums that to this day, I can sing the lyrics of the entire album from top to bottom (the first couple Kiss records, Paranoid, Vol. 4, couple AC/DC records, the first Asia record) just from hearing them so many times.   Now?  I will occassionally hear a song somewhere - TV, bar, whatever - and "Shazam" it and find that I own it and don't even know it.  That makes me sad.

 

[KevShmev]

THat's a real thing, though.   Back in the day, you'd save your money for an album, and then finally get it, and unless it sucked balls for lunch, you would listen to it, and play it, and put in the time.   Now, even with really good albums - the new Slash, the new Rival Sons - I just can't/won't put in the same amount of time. 

There are albums that to this day, I can sing the lyrics of the entire album from top to bottom (the first couple Kiss records, Paranoid, Vol. 4, couple AC/DC records, the first Asia record) just from hearing them so many times.   Now?  I will occassionally hear a song somewhere - TV, bar, whatever - and "Shazam" it and find that I own it and don't even know it.  That makes me sad.

Hmmmm....

[cygnusx1jg]

I love Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning, among others in that similar genre.

But I also love the first four records of.......Pet Shop Boys.

[King Postwhore]

I love Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning, among others in that similar genre.

But I also love the first four records of.......Pet Shop Boys.

I bought Iron Maiden,  Piece Of Mind  and Duran Duran, Rio on the same day.

Brotha from another....

[TAC]

Is this the new Fogey thread??

[Crow]

the only good band is brokencyde

[King Postwhore]

Is this the new Fogey thread??

Since you posted....

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't like Bruce Dickinson's voice.

[TAC]

Is this the new Fogey thread??

Since you posted....

[Sacul]

the only good band is six roaming owls

damn right 

[Stadler]

I love Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning, among others in that similar genre.

But I also love the first four records of.......Pet Shop Boys.

I bought Iron Maiden,  Piece Of Mind  and Duran Duran, Rio on the same day.

Brotha from another....

Duran Duran Rio is a legendary album.

[King Postwhore]

It's a weird thing to remember but I rode my bicycle to my cousin's house and he saw both cassettes and thought what an odd combo.  Now he loves both albums as well.

[KevShmev]

I love Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning, among others in that similar genre.

But I also love the first four records of.......Pet Shop Boys.

I've got your back on this one.  Pet Shop Boys have tons of good songs over the years.  Their early stuff seems to be the most consistent, but later albums like Fundamental and Electric are really good from start to finish, and Yes had some of their best and catchiest songs ever. Good band.

[bosk1]

I never really got into them, but I had plenty of friends who did back in the day, and I always liked what I heard.  It's pretty widely acknowledged that they put out solid music.  I'm not sure it's "controversial."

[WildRanger]

I love Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning, among others in that similar genre.

But I also love the first four records of.......Pet Shop Boys.

I've got your back on this one.  Pet Shop Boys have tons of good songs over the years.  Their early stuff seems to be the most consistent, but later albums like Fundamental and Electric are really good from start to finish, and Yes had some of their best and catchiest songs ever. Good band.

Do you dig Depeche Mode?